Red Curse
by ShadowWolf181
Summary: When Cloud Strife's only child is kidnapped in broad daylight by Sephiroth, he vows to get her back, no matter the cost. However, something is amiss. Sephiroth expects something from Cloud. But once he finds out what it is, can Cloud give it to him?


Summary: When Cloud Strife's only child is kidnapped in broad daylight by Sephiroth, he vows to get her back, no matter the cost. But something is amiss. Sephiroth expects something from Cloud. But once he finds out what it is, can Cloud give it to him?

WARNING: There will or may be violence, strong language, sexual themes, and _possibly_ non-consensual intercourse and drug usage. Though, I cannot tell you to what extent because even I don't know. :-P

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Final Fantasy VII or its group of badass characters. I give all credit to the creator who was epic enough to come up with such a thing in the first place.

Cloud Strife sat at the short desk in the second floor office, bombarded with various documents he had spent hours sorting out over the span of a few days. But he did not come here to work. For some odd reason his head was killing him. Not a pounding sensation, it felt as if someone had placed his brain in between a vise and was gradually squeezing the spongy organ. Any more of this and his head would implode, of this Cloud was one-hundred percent convinced.

"Ngh," he groaned miserably. The pain was practically unbearable, and with the present frustration and desperation for the pain to subside it merely added to it instead, protracting it.

"Cloud? Babe, are you okay?"

The beautiful and tough Tifa Lockhart who stood in the office doorway had suddenly rushed over to Cloud's side. She stared at her boyfriend whose creamy-white skin was now visibly drenched in sweat. He appeared paler than usual and had been trembling as he clutched the temples of his head in between both hands. What she witnessed almost scared her senseless. Tifa had half a mind to call for an ambulance, but as always she quickly dismissed the thought. Cloud barely registered his girlfriend's concerned touch on his shoulder through the dense fog in his mind. Just trying to put lucid ideas together proved to be a challenge.

_Why is this happening to me?_

"Why is it so dark in here?" asked Tifa, noticing the venetian blinds were totally shut closed. Even the brown drapes had been slightly pulled in order to snuff out any residual light that managed to slip through the venetian blinds' holes. She had every intention of vanquishing the melancholy gloom until Cloud choked out, "Don't! The light… it burns!"

Complying with Cloud's wishes, Tifa kept her distance so she wouldn't feel the urge to mess around with anything. Instead, she opted to withdraw from one of the drawers a large bottle of extra-strength Tylenol. Popping the lid off, she shook two gel pills onto the palm of her left hand and offered them to him, along with a glass of stagnant, lukewarm water. Better than nothing.

"Here, take this," she softly said.

Cloud just pushed the medicine and water away. "I drank one already."

"When?"

"Early morning."

"Well drink two more." Her tone was suddenly rigid and did not brook any argument. The same voice she used on Phoenix, their only child, whenever she refused to do her school assignments or finish the household chores.

Defying the brunette's orders only meant trouble, he realized, so the spiky haired blonde accepted the pills without a word and took a swig of the lukewarm liquid to help the pills on their journey to his stomach. He shared an ugly belch in defiance, wiping away the line of excess water that flowed from the corner of his lush mouth.

"I really think you should see a doctor babe," she stated, concern making its way back into her voice. "It's been nearly a week and these… migraines… aren't receding any time soon. They just come and go—each one worse than the one before it. That's not a good sign. You know?"

"I'm fine, Tifa. Really."

"Yeah… I'm not so sure about that," she said on a heavy exhalation. Dark eyes the color of sweet cocoa gazed at the spinning ceiling fan, as if secretly praying to God for strength.

If only the pressure in his head had completely disappeared, Cloud would have grabbed the brunette's nude waist and dragged his wet tongue across her enticing navel, which was currently at eye level considering his seated position. Tifa loved that. In fact, she loved any wet or gooey object sliding in and out of her "tummy hole" (Phoenix's word for it when she was a toddler), something he discovered the first time they had sex. A shame neither of them were really in the mood for foreplay.

"You worry too much," he said now after a lengthy pause.

Tifa diverted her eyes from the unremarkable fan and focused on Cloud once again. He thought she was going to give him hell for saying so, but she surprised him by revealing an amicable smile in return.

"Somebody has to."

When a few seconds passed, Cloud gave a small grunt and nodded his head once in agreement. Bestowed upon him was a great comfort in knowing that when he failed to properly care for himself, others were there to pick up where he left off. Of course, it's a gift he would never abuse or take for granted.

"I'm gonna take a shower," he murmured as he carefully rose from the chair, afraid that if he got up too quickly he would lose consciousness like last time. The medicine must've been doing its magic because the vise in his head had eased its grip, and left a dull hammering against his skull.

"When you're finished," said Tifa, "get dressed and come downstairs. I'm almost done with dinner."

Cloud turned back once he reached the exit. "Phoenix isn't helping you prepare?"

"Nah, I decided to let her be a kid today. She's outside playing a game of soccer with Denzel and Marlene. I swear… the way those three interact with each other… you'd think they were all siblings. Wherever she goes, the other two follow."

"Yeah."

_That is true. But then… she __**always did**__ have that weird effect on others. Maybe… she got it from me._

"Anyway… Just come down when you're ready, okay?"

Tifa shouted toward Cloud, who lazily waved a hand behind him in understanding. He was already halfway up the stairs leading to the third floor. The couple's master bedroom was situated two doors down the right end of the hallway.

"Will do," he yelled back.


End file.
